Steam-cooker and the like.



M. W. PAHERTY.

STEAM COOKER AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.2, 1913.

1,112,127, Patented Sept. 29, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

Zvsees. I

M. W. FAHBRTY.

STEAM COOKER AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2,1913.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z;7U6/7Z%K )2 M Mam flat er/ 7 5,6.

F x v l l l I t Ir MI W. PAHERTY.

STEAM comma AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED APRZ, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2,9, 1914.

SHBETSSHEET 3 L II I l'l ll |L J M11150 /"/7 ey,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL W. FAHERTY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED V FBENlTElI-I,

' OE PIQUA, OHIO.

STEAM-COOKER AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 19 4..

Application filed April 2, 1913. Serial No. 758,340.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that LMiciiAEL \V. FAiinn'rY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in steam-Cookers'and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in steam cookers or kettles such as used in oil mills for cooking the oilbearing meal or material preparatory to expressing the oil therefrom, and has especial reference to automatic cookers of the kind disclosed in Patent No. 1,015,013, granted Jan. 16, 1912, to Alfred W. French. .111 said patented cooker a plurality of heating kettles are arranged in a descending series, so that the material can discharge by gravity from one kettle to the next, and are provided with gates which are automatically controlled by the depth of the material in the kettles for regulating the delivery of -the material from kettle to kettle, the operation of the gate for each kettle being controlled by the level of the material in the next lower kettle. \Vhen the material accumulates to a predetermined depth in such lower kettle it closes the. gate of the next kettle above by the lifting action of the material against the gate which rides or floats on the material, and the gate is re tained closed by a latch until when a predetermined quantity of material has been withdrawn from the lower kettle, said latch is released by a device which floats on the material and allows the gate to open and deliver material to the lower kettle until sufficient material accumulates therein to again close the gateand prevent further discharge of the material. from the upper kettle. In this way the material is retained in each kettle for a substantially definite period of time depending upon the rate at which the material is drawn from the bottom kettle in making the cakes for the press.

It is desirable in the operation of these cookers to vary the length of time that the material remains in each kettle tosuit varying conditions of the material. and also in accordance with changing conditions in the mill. For example, if the material is wet it should remain in the cooker for a longer period of time than if-it is dry. Since the materia is 'drawn from the bottom kettle for forming the cakes in equal measured quantities at all times, it follows that the length of time it will remain in the cooker and the extent to which it is cooked Will depend upon the depth of the material in the kettles, and can be controlled by regulating the depth of the material in the kettles.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and practical means whereby the gate controlling means can be readily adusted, without the necessity of entering the cooker, so as to regulate the depth of the material in the kettles and he length of time it remains in the kettles to suit changing conditions.

In the accompanying draWings:-Figure and its controlling. mechanism in planf Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the cooker and the controlling mechanism for one of the gates, showing the position of the parts when the gate is ClOS6Cl.'

Fig. 6 is a section thereof in line G(i, Fig. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the gate locking and releasing mechanism, the parts occupying the same position as in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a similar view thereof, showing by solid lines the position of the parts just prior to releasing thegate, and by broken lines the position thereof when the gate is open. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation, similar to Fig. 6, showing by solid and broken lines the two positions of the float corre' sponding to the positions of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

represents the cooker which com iris es a series of heating kettles or chambers 1, 2, 3. l. arranged in a descending series, or one below the other. so that the meal can discharge by gravity through the discharge opening (I in the bottom of one kettle into the next lower kettle. In the cooker shown in Fig. 1.. four kettles are employed. arrauged one directly over and upon the other, but'the invention is not limited to this arrangement of the kettles, and they can be '1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in secarranged in other ways, so that the meal can dlscharge from one kettle to'another. The cooker may also comprise any suitable number of kettles, which may be of any usual or suitable construction. I Thekettles shown are provided with hollow bottoms and side walls, forming steam chambers, which are supplied with'steam in the usual way for cooking or heating the meal.

B represents the usual rotary stirrers o1 scrapers consisting ofarms projecting laterally in the lower portions of .the kettles from a vertical central shaft 7) which is driven by any suitable mechanism 6'. These stirrers B are suitably shaped to mix or stir the material and cause it to circulate in the kettles. The rotating stirrers produce a sort of wave in the material which travels with the stirrers and is utiliz'ed in closing the gates as hereinafter explained. i 1

C, 0*, C represent the gates for the bottom discharge openings a of the kettles, each kettle except the last or bottom kettle being provided with one of these gates. The bottom kettle has the usual discharge opening (not shown) from which the material is drawn at intervalsin measured quantities for forming the cakes for the press. The gate for each'kettle is arranged on the under side thereof and is adapted to swing or open downwardly by gravity into the next lower kettle for discharging the material into the latter kettle from the kettle above, controlled by the gate. As shown in the drawings the gate, which may be of any suitable construction, is secured by a set screw 0, or Otherwise, to a hollow hinge shaft or tube D which is adapted to turn in bearings on a plate a! secured to the underside of the kettle and extends to the outside of the cooker through a hole in the side wall thereof. at is a bearing plate secured exteriorly on the cooker for the outer end of the hinge tube Secured .to the hinge tube D outside of this kettle is a latch disk E provided with a tooth or shoulder e adapted to engage by a latch or dog F fior holding the gate closed. A pivoted latchis shown which is pivoted at on the hearing plate 03 adjacent 'to the disk and is.

adapted to swing by gravity into holding engagement with the disk. -The disk E, being fixed to the hinge tube, turns with the gate, and the latch does not interfere with the closing of the gate, but when the gate is closed, the'latch F will engage the tooth of the disk E, as shown in Fig. 7, and prevent the return movement of the disk, thereby locking the gate in the closed position. A latch or lockin device of any other suitable construction adapted to allow the closing of the gate and to retain it closed until the latch is released, as hereinafter explained, could be employed.

G represents a gate controlling arm or float which is secured to the inner end of a rock shaft .9 that extends out of the cooker .and has fixed to its outer end, adjacent to the latch F, a plate or part H which is adapted to actuate the latch F for releasing the gate. The shaft 9 preferably extends throu h the hinge tube D which forms a bearing t erefor. The arm or float G is preferably provided at its free end with a road plate g which is adapted to ride or float on the material in the kettle in which the float is located so that the float swings upwardly or downwardly accordingly as the depth of the material in the kettle increases or decreases. When the material has been reduced to a predetermined depth in the kettle the floatactuated plate or part H will release the latch F, thus allowing the gate to open and discharge material from the upper kettle 'into the lower one.

The apparatus as thus far described is substantially similar to said patented construction. In the latter the gate rides or floats on the material and is raised by the lifting action of the material on the gate itself, being closed when the material reaches a predetermined depth, whereas in the apparatus of this application the float G operates to close the gate as well as to release the latch F for opening the gate. For this purpose, in the construction shown in the drawing, the plate orpart H is provided with a face or portion It adapted to strike an adjustable screw it secured to the latch F for disengaging the latch from the latch disk E to release the gate, and with a lug k which projects laterally toward the latch disk E and is adapted to engage anabutmen-t or member I adjustably secured to the latch disk for turning the latter and the hinge tube D to which it is secured to close the gate. By adjusting the schew h the position to which the float must descend to release the gate can be regulated as quired.

h indicatesnuts for locking the'screw when adjusted. The plate or part H is also which tends to swin the sha g and the attached float G in t e direction to release the. latch F. The abutment I shown'is arranged to turh on the shaft (7 between the latch disk E and the plate H and is provided at its outer end-with a toothed pawl or block 5 which is held a spring 71 in engagement with t'ee't'h'i on the periphery of the latch disk. This construction enables the abutment to, be adjusted circumferentially of the disk E and secured in different positions nearer to or farther from the lug k preferably provided with a wei hted' arm h of the plate H. As the material accumuraised and turn the shaft g and the plate attached thereto, and when the lug k enga es the abutment I the latter and the disk to which it is secured will be turned and close the'gate. Since by adjusting the abutment 1 toward or from the lug b the latter can be caused to engage the abutment When the float has been'raised to a less or greater extent, the depth to which the material is permittedto rise in the kettle can be regulatedias required by the simple adjustment of the abutment I. This adjustable device for controlling the depth of the-material in the kettle is located exteriorly of the cooker and can be quickly the same depth of material in the several kettles or different depths in different kettles. A The operation of the cooker, assuming thekettles to contain the desired maximum amount'of material and the several gates to be held in the closed position by their latches, is as follows:-The material is drawn from the bottom kettle t in quanti ties suitable for making the cakes and when the bottom kettle has been emptied sulficiently for the float'G therein to descend far enough to release the latch 1* for the gate C of the'next kettle 3, this gate will .open and discharge material from the kettle 3 i1nto the bottom kettle and the material accumulating in the bottom kettle will lift the float G'until the gate (7 is closed by the engagement of the plate H on the float rock shaft with the abutment I which is connected to the hinge tube D of the gate, and is locked by its latch F, as above explained. The discharge of the material from the kettle 3 reduces the depth of the material therein until the float G in this kettle descends far enough to release the latch of the gate (1* for kettle No. 2 and permits this-gate to open and discharge material from kettle No. 2 into kettle No. 3. This gate is closed again by the material accumulating in kettle No. 3 and o 'ierating thc lloat in this kettle as in the case of the bottom kettle. in this way the material is discharged from each kcltle when the depth of the material in the kettle next below is reduced a predetermined amount and the discharge is stopped when the material accumulates to a prcdclermincd desiredv depth .in such lower kcl'tlcs. 4 a i By 1iroportioningand adjusting the limit G, so that. it can swing downmn dly to sub -stantiallyvertical position, as shown by full' lines in Fig. 9 before tripping the latch, the float will be free to swing over the surface of the material to the position shown by broken lines in said Fig. 9 and will be swung quickly to this position by a weighted arm h thereby insuring a quick and positive releasing of the latch F. It is not, howwer, necessary for the float to swing down to the vertical position to release the latch, and the screw on the latch will be released and the gate opened when the material has been reduced to a greater .or-less desired extent.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material to discharge from one chamberinto another, of a gate which controls the discharge of the material from the first chamber into the second chamber, a device con-, trolled by the depth of the material in the second chamber for closing said ate, and means for holding said gate closed which are actuated by said device to release said gate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is reduced a predetermined amount, substantially as set forth.

QQThe combination With a plu'ality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material to discharge from one chamber intoanother, of a gate which controls the discharge cf the material from the first chamber into the second chamber, a device which is caused to move independent y of said gate by changes in the depth of the material in said second chamber, means actuated by said device for closing said gate, and means for holding said gate closed which are actuated by said device to release said. gate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is reduced :1 predetermii-red amount, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material to discharge from one chamber into another, of a gate which controls the discharge of the material from the first chamher into the second chamber, a device which is caused to move independently of said gate by changes in the depth of the material in said second chan'iber, means actuated by said device fo closing said gate when the material has accumulated to a predetermined depth in said second chamber, and a lzltch for holding said gate closed which is actuated by said device to rclease said gate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is reduced a ')rcdetcrn'1ined amount, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material tO discharge from one chamber into another, of a gate which controls the dischargeof the j'material' from the first th n.

' cumulated to different desired depths in said second chamber, and means for holding said gate closed which. areactuated by said devlce' to release said gate when'the depth. of

Y the material in said second chamber ,is reduced a predetermined amount, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material to discharge from one chamber into another, of a gate which controls the .discharge of the material from the first chamber into the second chamber, and mechanism controlled by the depth of the material in said second chamber for closing and locking said gate when the material accumulates to a desired depth-in said second chamber and for releasing said gate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is reduced a desired amount, said mechanism including a part which is adjustable to regulate the closing of said gate, substantially as set forth. a v

6; The combination with a' plurality of kettles or chambers arranged-to permit ma terial to discharge from one chamber into another, of a gate which controls the discharge ofthe material from the first chamber into the second chamber, and mechanism controlled by the depth of the material in said second chamber for closing and locking said gate when the material accumulates to a desired depth in said second chamber and for releasing said ate when the depth of thematerial in said second chal ber is re duced a. desired amount, said echanism being adjustable to regulate at will both the .openmg and the closing of said gate, substantially as set forth. 1 v

7. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit material todischarge from one chamber into another, of a gate which controls-the discharge of the material from the first chamher into the second chamber, and mechanism' controlled' -by the depth of the material in said second chamber for closing and locking said gate when the material accumulates to a desired depthin said second chamber and for releasing said gate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is reduced a desired amount, said mechanism ineluding a part located exteriorly of said chambers which is adjustable to regulate;

- the closing of said gate, substantially as set forth. v

8. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers for solid material an from one chamber into another, a gate for controlling the discharge of the material .from the first chamber into the second cham ber, means for causing the'material to circulate in said chambers, and a device movable independently of-said gate which is adapted to float on the-material in said sec- 0nd chamber for closing said gate when the material accumulates to a desired depth in said second chamber, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a pluralit of kettles or chambers for solid materia arranged to ermit. the material to discharge from one. 0 amber into another, a 'gate' for controll'm the discharge of thematerial from the rst chamber into the secondchn-mber, means for causing the material to circulate in said chambers, and a devicemovable independently of said gate which is adapted to float on the material in said secondchamber, and mechanism controlled by said device for closing and locking said ate when the material accumulates toa desired depth in said second chamber, and for re leasing said ate when the depth of the material in said second chamber is'reduced a desired amount, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers for solid material arranged to permit the material to discharge from one chamber into another a gate for controllin the discharge of the material from the rst chamber into the second chamber, means for causing the material to circulate in said chambers, a device adapted to float on'the material in said second chamher, and means controlled by said device for closing said ate when the material accumulates to a desired depth in'said second chamber for allowing said'fgate to open when the depth of the material in said second chamvber is reduced a desired amount, substantially as set forth. 11 The combination with a plurality of kettles or chambers arranged to permit matcrial to discharge from one cham'oer'into another, of a gate which controls the discharge of the material from thezfirst chamber into the second chamber, a'device adapted to'fioat on the material in said second chamber, a latch for holding said gate closed, a rock shaft to which said device is secured and which extends to the-exterior of said chambers and is provided with a part adapted to actuate daid latch to release said gate, and a part connected to said gate which is adapted to be engaged by said part on said rock shaft for closing said gate, substantially as set forth. a

12. The combination kettles or chambersv arran ed to permit ma terial to discharge from one chamberinto another, of a gate which controls the disnit h a plurality of charge of fihe material from the first chamber into the second chamber, a device adaptte fleet on the material in said second chamber, av latch for holding said gate closed, e rock shaft to which said device is secured and which extends to the exterior of mid chambers and is provided with a part adapted to actuate said latch to release said game and a part cennected to said gate which is edapted to he engaged by end parton smd rock shaft for closlng seld gate, Laid part connected to' said gate being located exteriorly of said chambers and being adjustable to regulate the closing of said gate, substantially as set forth.

1 5 Witness my hand, this 22nd day of March,

MICHAEL W. FAHERTY.

Witnesses:

LILLIAN M. LEE, FRANK BLOMBERG. 

